


Nine Calls

by therealityqueen212



Category: Fresh Meat (TV)
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Long-Distance Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:48:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25943098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therealityqueen212/pseuds/therealityqueen212
Summary: Nine phone calls between Josie and JP in the early days of their relationship. From Josie's point of view.
Relationships: Josie Jones/J.P. Pembersley
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Nine Calls

#1 - 23rd July 2016

Josie held it together until her former housemates had all left 28 Hartnell for the last time. Watching them walk away - towards their new lives and new adventures - was tough. And it was hard, even harder than she’d expected, to see everyone’s rooms empty. No piles of poetry books in Oregon's room, no overpriced headphones in Kingsley's. Not a single mysterious gadget blinking away in Howard's old room.

JP’s attic was stripped of his tacky posters, croquet mallets and bongos (yes, she thought with a wry smile, her new boyfriend was _undoubtedly_ a gap yah cliche.) Even though Josie actively disliked most of JP's possessions, seeing his room without them hurt her heart. She had spent a lot of time in this room over the last 6 months, having what was undeniably the best sex of her life. It was in this room that she had experienced sharp pain and jealousy at seeing JP with someone else, and realised for the first time that she was catching feelings for him. Then, a couple of days ago, she had sat with JP on this bed and told him she wanted to keep seeing him (albeit without admitting how strongly she really felt.) Just hours earlier, they had been passionately kissing on this bed, before consummating their brand-new relationship in the shower.

That was all over now. A stranger would be moving into this room, and she would never again be able to climb up those stairs and into JP's bed. Into his arms. 

Josie started crying, and hardly stopped until her train pulled into Cardiff Station.

Her mum met her off the train with a hug, a travel mug of tea and a big bar of Dairy Milk. When they got home, her dad had made her favourite roast chicken for dinner. Her brother Rhys, who was heading to Oxford in October to study English, handed her a pile of books he thought she'd like. Josie loved and appreciated her family (even more so after seeing the lack of support Vod and JP got from their parents) but tonight she was just too drained to be sociable. She went to bed early, saying she had a headache. From her holdall she fished out JP's t-shirt that she had shamelessly nicked from the washing basket a few days ago. She held it to her face, inhaling the familiar washing powder smell of JP's sheets.

* * *

Josie woke up the next morning feeling, if not exactly happy, then at least ready to stop crying and start getting on with things. She had a long-overdue clear out of her room, chucking away folders of dentistry notes, A-Level revision cards, and photos of Dave. She realised she didn't have any photos of just her and JP (and she wasn't sure she was ready to announce their relationship to her family by displaying a photo of them together.) As a compromise she found some photos of the Hartnell gang together and stuck them in a frame instead. She got the bus into town and bought some new trainers in the sales, planning to take up running again. And she agreed to take a part-time job as a receptionist at her mum's GP practice, hoping to save up for a car.

That evening Josie sat with her family, watching an old film on TV and sharing a bowl of popcorn with Rhys. Her phone buzzed and photo of JP - shirtless and with a plaster over his mouth - lit up her home screen. Rhys saw the picture and raised an eyebrow. Fortunately he was one of the rare little brothers who didn't enjoy embarrassing his big sister, so Josie trusted him to keep his mouth shut. Still, Josie thought, she should probably change that photo to something a little more SFW (safe for Wales).

Josie dashed out of the living room and up the stairs to her bedroom, praying she'd make it safely inside before her phone stopped buzzing. She did.

"Hi JP!" she said brightly.

"Hey Jose." It was beyond great to hear his voice. It had been a day since they said goodbye and (though she would never admit it) she already missed him. "I know you said you were fine when we left yesterday but I thought...maybe you weren't totally fine?"

Josie was a little taken aback at JP's sensitivity, but pleased all the same. "Yeah, yesterday was weird. You all leaving and everyone's rooms being empty...it wasn't nice. But I am ok. Really. I've had a clear out and got a part-time job sorted. Onwards and upwards and all that. And you? All settled into The Pussy Palace?"

Josie immediately wished she hadn't asked that. She was used to using sarcasm and little digs to try and keep JP at a distance. But, as she reminded herself, he had got close to her anyway. When she'd had contemplate a life without him, she had found the prospect unbearable. He was her boyfriend, and being mean and spiky wasn't going to fly any more. "I just meant...you've gotta upgrade from 'Pussy Haven' now you're in Chelsea. Something a bit more upmarket."

"Ah, well you'd have to ask The Pussyman about that. For me it's just plain old 20 Elm Park Gardens. Except for maybe when a certain Welshwoman is in town."

"Oh cool. Well, give Charlotte Church my best."

JP laughed. "Oh, I'm afraid I had to break it off with Char. I just couldn't stop thinking about this hottie who drinks like a fish and tells me to fuck off all the time. Speaking of - Jose, when are you coming to stay? Because I have absolutely fucking smashed it and got myself an interview at Foxtons on 3rd August -"

"Oh, congrats!" Josie interrupted, trying her best to sound sincere.

"Thanks Jose! You're getting better at sounding like you don't hate my entire career plan. Anyway, I'm pretty free for the next week, so come to Londo pronto." His cheery tone switched to something a little more serious when he added: "Cos if I get the job - and I think I will - then I'll be working in the week and I'll only be able to see you evenings and weekends. So you need to come and stay now so I can see you as much as possible before I start work and you go back to uni. I know that sounds really keen and maybe a bit lame - but you're my girlfriend now. So I don't have to pretend that I don't like you." He added, very quietly, "I really like you, Josie."

Josie fought the urge to grab her mum's car keys, drive to London in her pyjamas, and knock on JP's door. Kissing him again would be worth the arguments and hassle with her parents, and 3 hours on the M4 motorway. But she was wary of coming on too strong and sharing too much of how she felt. And she had commitments here.

"I like you too, JP. And of course I want to see you. I could get a train on Friday? Text you when I book my ticket?"

"Yeah, deffo! I'll meet you off the train. Shall I bring one of those signs, like at the airport?'

"That would be very helpful because I've pretty much forgotten what you look like. I just remember red trousers and...tall, I think?"

JP laughed again. "Bye, Jose."

"Bye, JP."

Josie sat on her bed hugging herself, incredibly happy to know she would be seeing JP again soon.

A couple of minutes later she got a photo message from JP. It was a picture of them together at Vodstock, Josie smiling for the camera, JP seemingly unaware of anything other than Josie as he stared adoringly at her face. The caption was perfect: "A refresher before Friday. You're the blonde."


End file.
